Rain hits India tour match in Australia

Rain and a second-string Victoria bowling attack conspired to severely curtail the touring Indian cricket team's preparations here for the Boxing Day Test against Australia.

The Indians only had one session at the crease to reach 110 for three before rain forced play to be abandoned late on the first day of the three-day lead-up game at Junction Oval.

The tourists recovered from 38 for three after morning rain prevented any play in the first scheduled session.

Another heavy downpour during the tea break then finished off the day early.

India only have two days left in this match before taking on Australia, but showers are forecast on both days, which could cause havoc with their preparation.

Former captain Rahul Dravid said India would have liked another warm-up match before the Melbourne Cricket Ground Test and were at the mercy of the weather.

"We just have to wait and see how the weather pans out over the next couple of days," Dravid said.

"We would obviously have preferred a little bit better weather and some more cricket leading into the first Test, but we just have to do the best with what we've got and try to make the best of it."

Dravid rated the Junction Oval wicket as slow and said India had some adjusting to do.

"It definitely was noticeable," he said of the change in bounce from the three home Tests against Pakistan.

"You play on the back foot and you expect the ball to hit the middle of the bat and it sometimes hits the splice, so it's a case of getting used to that a little bit."

Left-arm medium pacer Allan Wise, who has struggled to break into Victoria's four-day side this season, finished the day with 3-22.

Wise had opener Wasim Jaffer out for a duck in the second over, V.V.S. Laxman for one in the fourth over and then bowled Sachin Tendulkar after the champion batsman made a brisk 19.

Former captains Sourav Ganguly (51 not out) and Dravid (33 not out) steadied the innings with an unbeaten stand of 72 to prevent a total wipeout for the under-prepared tourists.

Captain Anil Kumble is sitting out the match to allow Mahendra Singh Dhoni to lead the side.

Dhoni is selected to play despite missing the third Test against Pakistan with an ankle injury, while Tendulkar took part despite missing out in Bangalore with a knee problem.

India gave their four young pacemen the chance to push for Test selection by giving Zaheer Khan (ankle) more time to rest, and leaving Kumble and fellow spinner Harbhajan Singh out of the game.

Fast bowler Zaheer Khan has been given extra time to rest after missing the third Test because of ankle problem.

Jaffer was the only recognised opener selected in this match -- Dinesh Karthik is 12th man and Virender Sehwag was overlooked -- but let himself down when he played a skewed edge off Wise to mid-off.

Laxman followed caught behind down the legside and then Tendulkar fell, after an entertaining knock which featured a majestic six over mid-wicket off Wise, when he played on trying to drive off the back foot.

To rub salt into India's wounds, television replays showed Wise had overstepped but umpire and former Test fast bowler Paul Reiffel failed to signal a no-ball.

But Ganguly and Dravid applied themselves well after the early struggles.

Dravid might have won the opening spot for Boxing Day after a composed stay, and Ganguly improved the longer he batted.

Ganguly prodded and edged early, but then played some nice attacking shots, including successive boundaries off legspinner Bryce McGain.

He brought up his half-century in the final over before tea.

Play is scheduled to start 30 minutes early on Friday's second day, as only 38 overs were bowled on Thursday.